Heavy Snow in California, March 3 to 4, 2001

WESTERN NEVADA AND EASTERN CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
230 PM PST SAT MAR 3 2001

LOW PRESSURE TROUGH AROUND 130W WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD MAINLY MID AND
HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. A STRONG SHORTWAVE IN
THE GULF OF ALASKA IS EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE TROUGH CAUSING
STREGTHENING AND AMPLIFICATION OF TROUGH. THIS WILL TURN THE MOIST
SOUTHWEST FLOW INTO A SOUTHERLY FLOW. THIS WILL ACT TO DO 2 THINGS.
FIRST...THIS WILL SLOW THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION INTO THE SIERRA AND
NORTHEAST CA. SECONDLY...THIS WILL TAKE AWAY THE GOOD OROGRAPHIC FLOW.
WITH UNCERTAINTY WITH TIMING AND AMOUNTS OF PRECIPITATION...WILL
CONTINUE WITH A WINTER STORM WATCH BUT EXTEND IT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
TAKING INTO EFFECT THE SLOWER TIMING. QPF AMOUNTS STILL SUPPORT THE
POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL. WILL ALSO TWEAK THE CURRENT WATCH TO
RAISE SNOW LEVELS SLIGHTLY. THE UPPER LOW POSITIONING WILL ALSO ACT TO
KEEP MUCH IF ANY PRECIPITATION FROM ENTERING INTO WESTERN NEVADA. SO
HAVE REDUCED POPS HERE. HOWEVER...H7 WINDS PROGGED TO REACH 40-50 KTS
LATE SUNDAY AND SUNDAY EVENING GIVES A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR A HIGH
WIND EVENT ACROSS EXTREME WESTERN NEVADA. WILL HOLD OFF ON ISSUING
ANYTHING FOR THIS UNTIL LATER MODELS ALSO SUPPORT THIS. SYSTEM
EXPECTED TO LINGER OFFSHORE BEFORE DRIFTING SOUTH AND EASTWARD INTO
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. MODELS SUPPORT
SOME DRYING BY MIDWEEK BEFORE ANOTHER TROUGH FEATURE DROPS INTO
FORECAST AREA FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. ADAMS

.REV...WINTER STORM WATCH CAZ071 ABOVE 5500 FEET SUN AND SUN NGT
       WINTER STORM WATCH CAZ072-NVZ002 ABOVE 6000 FEET SUN AND SUN
       NIGHT
       WINTER STORM WATCH CAZ073 ABOVE 6500 FEET SUN AND SUN NIGHT.